Father
by RecklessSummerNights
Summary: Short oneshot. Mainly about Rory and Lorelai and their relationship with Chris. Set when Rory is six. At least give it a shot. I think it's different. Complete.


AN: This started as a drabble and I couldn't stop messing around with it and it just kind of turned into this. It's only a couple pages long and there's no real plot, but I kind of like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

Lorelai stared sadly out the window of the small garden shed she and Rory lived in at the Independence Inn. She watched her daughter perch on the stairs anxiously, her ballet slippers clasped in her fist. She sat up straight every single time a car passed but relaxed once she recognized it.

Lorelai could feel her heart sinking as her six year old daughter waited for a man who would never show up. He never did. He was full of empty promises. Lorelai reached for the telephone and dialed his number with angry jabs. He didn't answer, then again, he never did. Lorelai left a message when his machine picked up.

"This is ridiculous, Christopher. Do you even remember that you have a daughter? Oh, well of course you do. You send her birthday cards in February and Christmas presents in April. Oh and you make promises to take her out and then you never show up. I think I've always been pretty fair about letting you see your daughter but this is too much, Chris. You are done with her. I am sick and tired of you breaking her heart again and again. From now on, you cannot see her at all. And you can try and pull your father card but when you don't act like a father, your father card isn't worth anything and I overrule you. No more, Chris. Forget it. Don't bother calling or showing up here. You can't see her."

Lorelai hung up and sighed angrily, letting all her hostility out towards her ex boyfriend and then leaned her head against the slightly cool window pane.

Rory had been sitting outside for the past two and a half hours since she'd returned home from ballet class waiting for Chris. She was still wearing her pink leotard, tights and tutu because she was sure that if she went inside to change, Chris would appear and not want to wait for her.

Her chocolate brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her feet were bare. There was a book beside her but she hadn't touched it. Instead the young girl had hopefully watched every car that passed, waiting for his usual rental car to turn down the drive but of course, it never did.

Lorelai pushed open the door and silently joined her daughter on the step. They sat for a few minutes, both deep in thought. Rory was the one who finally broke the silence.

"He probably had to work late."

"Maybe." Lorelai never wanted to crush her daughter's hopes but she didn't have much faith in Christopher anymore.

"Did he call?" Rory glanced up hopefully and it broke Lorelai's heart to shake her head. She wanted so badly to lie and tell her that yes, he had called and he couldn't come tonight but she couldn't do that. Somehow, Rory would find out the truth and be even more hurt than she was now.

"Maybe he's calling now. You should go get the phone." Rory's young face showed her panic.

Lorelai brushed her fingers upon her daughter's knee, "We can hear the phone from here," She promised.

Rory relaxed a bit and then sighed. The girls fell into another silence, this one lasting much longer than before but again, it was Rory who broke it.

"He's not going to come is he?" It wasn't even a question but more or a statement.

Lorelai shrugged, "It doesn't look like it, Babe."

Rory sighed and her face twisted with hesitation before finally blurting out the question that plagued her, "Mommy, does daddy love me?"

Lorelai's jaw dropped and she wanted so badly to strangle Christopher and if he was anywhere near her at the moment, she would have. "Honey, of course he loves you. But Chris has never been very good with schedules or remembering things, even things that are important to him, like you. You mean the world to him, Ror. He just doesn't know how to show it. Chris isn't exactly like you and me."

Rory nodded slowly, trying to grasp her mind around this concept. "Well, I think we just got the dates mixed up. Maybe daddy thought we were going to a movie next weekend. And maybe next weekend he'll come over and take me to the movie and we can even get ice cream. Maybe we messed up, not daddy. Did you remember the wrong weekend?"

Lorelai smiled gently into her daughters accusing face, "I don't think so, Sweets, but it is definitely possible. You know me."

Rory nodded and the silence fell over them again but it was a bit more strained this time. This silence lasted for a good twenty minutes before Rory decided to make peace.

"Daddy will call in the morning and apologize for not coming on time and he'll come next weekend instead. I know it."

Lorelai nodded and tried to hide her guilt. Her daughter loved Christopher so much. She practically worshipped him. How could she try and take that away from her? No matter how much pain Christopher caused Rory, she would not give him up because his love and the time they _did_ spend together always erased the memories of the hours spent waiting on the front steps for him.

"He will." Rory repeated, almost trying to convince herself.

Lorelai nodded, "I bet he will, Hon. Now, what do you say _we_ get some ice cream and rent a movie. I prefer staying at home. People get mad when we go to the theater. I talk too much."

Rory giggled, "That's what daddy says too. I asked him once if you could come to the movie with us and he said you'd talk too much because you're such a natural born chatterbox and they would throw us out."

Lorelai smiled, "It's really true. Should we get a movie and ice cream?"

Rory nodded, "Yes."

"Okay. Go change and we can get going."

"Okay." Rory sprinted inside the house and Lorelai rose and followed her, reaching again for the phone.

* * *

Chris walked into his apartment whistling. He'd just gotten back from a night out with friends and he'd met a woman who he planned to call during the next week. He could definitely see them together. He hit the play button on his answering machine as he shrugged off his leather jacket and was greeted with Lorelai's angry voice and he knew her angry voice well.

"This is ridiculous, Christopher. Do you even remember that you have a daughter? Oh, well of course you do. You send her birthday cards in February and Christmas presents in April."

Chris sank into a chair. Guilty as charged. What was Lorelai upset about now?

"Oh and you make promises to take her out and then you never show up. I think I've always been pretty fair about letting you see your daughter but this is too much, Chris."

Chris's eyes slid shut. Rory. He'd completely forgotten about their monthly date night. Again.

"You are done with her. I am sick and tired of you breaking her heart again and again. From now on, you cannot see her at all."

Chris's heart sank in his chest. He couldn't see Rory anymore? He had to. She would never forgive him if he didn't see her.

"And you can try and pull your father card but when you don't act like a father, your father card isn't worth anything and I overrule you. No more, Chris. Forget it. Don't bother calling or showing up here. You can't see her."

Chris groaned loudly. Everything she'd said was true and he knew it. There was really nothing he could do. He only hoped that Lorelai would explain it to Rory so she didn't hate him.

The machine beeped and he sighed angrily as Lorelai started talking again. At first he thought the machine had cut her off so she'd called back to yell at him some more but then he realized she was speaking in a much softer voice and sounded somewhat apologetic.

"Call her tomorrow morning and apologize and you better be here early next week or what I said before will definitely be enforced. I mean it, Chris. You cannot do this to a six year old. I understand when you bail on me but she doesn't get it. She thinks she's doing something wrong and that you don't love her. You owe her big time."

Chris nodded emphatically and grabbed his calendar and a pen to write down a reminder this time.

"And Chris?" Lorelai's voice softened even more, "You're lucky your daughter loves you because she's the only reason you're getting this extra chance. Don't blow it. Night."

* * *

AN: So let me know what you think. I really would like to know. This was basically just to keep me busy while I think about where I'm taking Seasons of Love in the next chapter. I was so anxious to get this up to see what you guys thought that I didn't even bother asking my beta to look at it. I just posted it as I finished it so please review.

I really love the praise and happy reviews but I love the critiques just as much as long as they're nice and you tell me what I should fix. Constructive criticism is the best kind. Thanks as usual, guys!

-Mel


End file.
